On Wednesday, the United States and the Republic of Mali announced that they have agreed to extend the bilateral agreement between these two countries in the continued efforts to protect the archaeological heritage of Mali. This agreement places import restrictions on archaeological material from Mali that dates from the Paleolithic Era (Stone Age) to approximately the mid-eighteenth century that are not accompanied by an export permit or documentation verifying its provenance prior to 1993. This agreement has been extended for a period of five years.

The AIA would like to thank all of its members who submitted letters to Washington D.C. in support of this extension. Public comments are an important part of the extension process, and we are thankful to have such an active group of supporters at the AIA!